Showcasing the artwork and process of Roleplaying and Fantasy Literature Illustrator Del Teigeler

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Lost City of Gaxmoor: Castles and Crusades Isometrics...

Not that it has been a secret, I was announced on the Lost City of Gaxmoor kickstarter page as rendering some Isometrics, similar to the Roving Eye Tavern, Norwind Arms Exchange, and Proudfoot & Archer one that I did for & Magazine, but I have the initial render sketch, and a few inked in pages for the Black Feather's Inn. A villa within the city. I didnt want to share any of this until I got a response back from Troll Lord, and as we speak the initial sketch was pasted up to the kickstarter, and they have the initial black and white first floor as well.

These take some time to flesh out. First having isometric grid paper from Alvin helps a ton. This I did not have during the & Magazine pieces and I had to draw the grids myself. What a pain that was. Check out the Alvin site, they have a ton of different isometric and regular grid papers.

Here is the first sketch I sent in.

Copyright Del Teigeler 2015. Licensed to Troll Lord Games 2015.

This place is quite large, with a ton of pillars, and stairs, it was a challenge but I kept my head about me, and kept working. A word of note for those wanting a bit of technique. I always start these as a full sketch, and each thing I put into the rooms; doors, windows, pillars, room dressings, etc, I sketch in pencil first. It's like I am drawing everything twice, so these take a ton of time. Stairs I often have to sketch several times before they are "right" to my eye.

Also, I always start from the closest points to me. In this case the lower part of the page and work my way up, that way i am rendering objects behind eachother and it keeps the perspective, and i have the ability to move things around so that aestetically it is appealing. I try to keep in mind someone only glancing at the page, as well as someone truly studying everything in each room.

I try and clutter up the rooms, without cluttering up the rooms, and remember that there are walls there (as represented by the traditional black lines) and sometimes I lean swords, packs, staves or other objects against them.

Here is the completed first floor, without shading.

Copyright Del Teigeler 2105. Licensed to Troll Lord Games 2015.

I had carte blanche control over what was in the interior, as many of the notes were destroyed in Ernie's fire. So I had to go on a bit of a whim, hunch, and instinct. I have designed enough Inn's so I have a good feel for what goes where, and how they are typically situated. I kept these lower rooms, kind of simple, some offices, a library, the open area garden was part of the description, as well as the fireplaces.

I also added in a small kitchen, and a few dining rooms, and gathering points. There is even a wine bottle rack and sitting room. It being a villa, I figured that would be a nice touch.

Only the back wall shows up as 3D and everything else pops from the floor. I added four guardsmen in front of the stoop as the description called for them to be near there. Overall I am please with the way it turned out.

There is more to be done, however, shading, and completing the second floor, as well as the two basements and the roof top elevations.

I will keep you posted, in the mean time check out the kickstarter, and websites above.